Not a pleasant response to the last chapters but I guess it can't be helped...I'm not the kind of person to dwell on such things after all so here is the next installment of 'Different Paths'; it's high time for the action to cool but not until someone is hurt, right? :P
By the way, to answer Hikaru Kurosaki's question from my other story 'The Power Within' regarding my choice of Rai's weapon:
Hehe...That sure has made me blink several times when I first read it. :) Well, truthfully, it was kind of a personal trifle...I thought that during the show Rai got the Sword of the Storm and the Blade of the Nebula so what use could another sword have been; he doesn't make a collection out of them, does he? However, there hasn't been any weapons with a bow and an arrow, if we don't count Kimiko's Arrow Sparrow but she mostly throws them with her hands. I thought I should bring something new and honestly, I've always been a fan of archery and I've always imagined Rai handling one. Besides, from my perspective, a bow and arrows works better with the element of lightning.
Sorry if you you're not satisfy but this is my opinion. Thanks for letting me know, anyway. :) Also, you should activate you Private Messages option. Like this, I'm not sure whether you read it or not. Hope you do...
Raving
Kimiko stared at the scene, a sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead. Chase, Raimundo and Jack were looking back at her and it all made her feel like a deer caught in the spotlight. The anxiety and trepidation took a hold of her for several seconds but she shook herself out of it. She swallowed and stepped forward; hoping Chase wouldn't see that as a threat.
"Chase!" She repeated hearing only the beat of her heart hammering in her chest.
The man blinked owlishly at her. She watched as different emotions crossed his golden eyes and her stomach sunk as they settled upon barely concealed fury. His hand tightened around the firearm and his features melted into a blank mask with the exception of his striking yellow eyes which were glaring holes in her being.
"What a reunion this is, little Kimiko." He momentarily glanced at the driver of the car still hidden inside. He had an inkling he knew who that was as well. "Here to defend your new friends?" Chase watched calmly as the young woman hesitantly shook her head and he raised a disbelieving eyebrow.
"Actually…" She began, taking another step towards him. "I was going to inform you of tonight, but with the whole car chase thing I didn't have the occasion."
"I'm sorry, Kimiko, but you're gonna have to do better than that." Chase cut in coldly. He wanted to have faith her, he truly did, however, the facts were against her. No matter how much he might have cared for her as a friend and protégé, he had to keep in mind that she was the one who broke his trust and their promise. If it was one thing Chase was adamant about was to always keep your word. So he ignored the raven haired girl's disheartened look.
"Come on, Chase, please! You know I'm not like that. I just panicked and, ugh, I don't know, everything's been so confusing lately. But I'm back now and I…I really want everything to be like before. Please!"
He couldn't exactly stay unaffected in front of those pleading blue eyes. He sighed. "Kimiko, regardless of your explanation you are still in deep waters. I can't say for sure if things will ever be back to how they were."
Blue eyes turned their gaze to the ground. She knew her fate was sealed, she knew she wouldn't get a special treatment and she knew she couldn't stay in Japan any longer. Chase knew it as well. Her heart hurt thinking how much grief she must have caused to everyone but she didn't have a choice anymore. As her act to soften the man failed, she went for the second option.
"I guess you're right. Things will never be the same." She spoke gravely and unexpectedly spun on her heel with a kick. Taken aback, the raven haired man couldn't react before the gun was snapped out of his hand.
The distraction was enough for Jack to lunge for it while Phantom sprung on his feet and aimed a kick at the man's side. Kimiko heard the door of the car open and Clay walking out before a scream forced her attention back at the three struggling to reach the gun.
She jumped after the weapon, only to jerk it further as Chase stretched for it. He glanced in her eyes for a second but the moment was cut short when he went to grab her arm. Kimiko jolted back, breathing heavily when she suddenly felt a hand pulling her up. She fought back but then a mass of red invaded her vision and she realized it was Jack dragging her away from the brawl.
"What are you doing?" She yelled.
Jack glared at her. "Isn't it obvious? You've just proved to him you are what he thinks you are. You should let Phantom and Blondie deal with him now."
Clay rammed his shoulder into Chase, throwing him away before leaping after the gun himself. Phantom chose that moment when the man was down, to try and hopefully knock him out. It didn't work out as he had anticipated. Chase demonstrated to be more skilled and resilient than he was as he was up and fighting Phantom in barely two seconds.
Delivering a successful sweep kick, trailed by a hard high strike of his foot, Chase had the thief at his feet in no time, but when he attempted to move after the blond he found himself kissing the ground instead.
"I'm not done yet." Called Phantom smugly.
Chase growled leaping on his feet before swiftly falling down again to dodge a middle kick. He directed a fast jab towards Phantom's abdomen which he evaded and then a palm thrust at his chest. The thief gasped as he was shoved backwards and the air left his lungs.
Chase didn't waste his time. He dashed after Clay just as the man was picking up the gun. He slid on the ground, sweeping him off his feet then quickly recovered his balance and turned for a knockout blow to his head.
"Clay!"
Kimiko brushed off Jack's hand running towards her friend. Before the blonde even hit the ground, Kimiko was jumping with a spinning kick. Chase managed to spot her in time as he rolled out of the way leaving the young woman's leg to pass harmlessly by him. Breathing heavily, the man was besides her quickly wrapping his hand round the back of her knee earning a pained growl from her, before tripping her up. Kimiko was down immediately, her shoulder connecting hard with the ground.
She gasped as throbbing pain shot through her arm and chest but she ignored them for the hand that wrapped around her arm and forcefully pulled her up. The raven haired woman swore under her breath when she felt cold metal press against her head.
This wasn't going as planned at all, she mentally berated herself.
On the other side, Phantom halted. He violently cursed in his mind, hands itching to land a good hit on the man who caused such a chaos out of their already frail plan. Chase's glare, however, froze him.
The barrel of the gun was still in his hand firmly touching Kimiko's ebony locks, a mockery of how powerless he was in that moment. He gritted his teeth trying to come up with a distraction. The blond man Kimiko came with was unconscious on the floor and Jack was fearfully looking at him for reassurance that he wasn't able to give.
'No, no! Not now, not like this…damn it all…Why did it have to get so complicated?' Phantom thought angrily. His hands rolled in tense balls at his sides and he bit his lip mulling over his options despite their almost non-existent numbers.
"This game of yours is now over." Chase's cold voice cut through his musings. Masked eyes traveled towards the man's figure holding beneath him the girl he, unwillingly and quite accidentally, came to like. He was breathing hard but not enough to be classified as panting like was his case.
'What the hell is this guy? I swear; he didn't even break a sweat during the fight…'
"But considering the nuisance you proved to be…" Chase spoke coldly and Phantom could have vowed his canines looked like fangs there for a second. "I wish to ask you for one more thing…"
Still battling with the exhaustion, the thief nodded. "Shoot then…No pun intended." He quickly amended.
A ghost of a smile played on the man's lips. "Take off your mask."
-.-
"Move it or lose it, pipsqueak!"
"I do not appreciate being called such a belittling na – "
"Whatever, there they are."
"What? Wait, get back." A sudden tug and both figures were crouched beside the wall of a warehouse on the docks.
"What the heck –"The older person growled only for the other one to placed their hands up and shut them up.
"Look closely, would you?" The shorter of the two whispered sternly.
A gasp was heard. "Holy shit…what is going on there?"
"I'm not sure…How do you want to proceed?"
"I'm positive you know my opinion very well. Why bother asking?"
They smiled at each other and prepared to jump in at a moment's notice.
-.-
Green eyes widened behind white slits. Any tiredness was forgotten by the sudden flux of adrenaline coursing through his whole body and pushing his mind into high gear. How was he supposed to react to something like that? Would Chase really hurt Kimiko if he didn't do as asked?
He looked at her. She had a face of utmost surprise, blue eyes opened to ridiculous proportions and jaw seemingly broken with the way it just hanged there. He was sure if Chase hadn't held her she would have fallen down in shock.
He then glanced at Jack. The yellow goggles with swirling patterns on the lens covered his eyes but he could effortlessly make out the silent astonishment evident in his blood red orbs. He noticed how he chose to stand on the sidelines too, apparently trying to become invisible in Chase's eyes. He mentally rolled his eyes thinking of his still present cowardly tendencies.
Phantom, afterwards, turned his head toward the man with an inconspicuous sigh. No, he wouldn't harm Kimiko. Regardless of his cold and untouchable exterior, he detected earlier slight notes of sadness and regret coming from him and directed to Kimiko. Therefore he still cared for her and wouldn't risk injuring her too badly.
"Only if you let go of her first." He finally spoke determinately.
Chase raised a brow. "You're in no position to make demands."
"Maybe I wouldn't endanger Kimiko…" He said shaking his head. "…but just as sure as I am of that, I know you wouldn't do it either."
"Is that so?" For a moment neither looked away from each other until Chase unexpectedly pointed the gun at his side and pulled the trigger.
Phantom flinched at the sound but his blood ran cold in the next second when a scream pierced the air and he realized with dread who the man was aiming at. 'Jack…'
-.-
"This is getting messy…" The agitation was obvious in the figure's voice.
The other one kept gapping at the scene, mortify by that cruel side of Chase Young and the underhanded trick he used. 'That bastard…'
"We need to intrude now…this cannot end well." The first one spoke again at which the other person nodded in agreement. Both moved forward until they were right beside Clay's car and directly behind Chase and Kimiko.
-.-
The dark hallways were eerily silent as the two figures stalked towards the looming doors up front with confident, quick strides. The taller of them, wearing a white domino mask and a black cape with a hood obstructing his hair from view walked ahead while behind him, the younger form of Phantom bounced around glancing at the exposed antiquities.
"Phantom, step it up please."
The brunet smiled and ran up to his older brother. "Sorry, I'm just really excited. This is my first time in the city, remember?"
Haze shook his head with a smirk as they neared the doors. "Well, you should keep an eye on your surroundings you know…you never how things may surprise you." The young man pushed them open slowly, peaking through the crack and through the darkness beyond it.
Phantom silently agreed as he watched the corridor they came through. "Are we clear?" He then asked his brother.
The hooded man frowned, red flags fluttering in his mind. "I'm not sure. Be on guard." He warned before slamming the double doors on the walls and stepping back out of sight, Phantom doing the same on the other side.
As he expected, lights flooded the room and heavy footsteps rained on the wooden floor. Haze made eye contact with his little brother and only one message made it through when the guards stepped out of the chamber.
Run.
Both took off down the previously darkened hall. Phantom huffed as he skidded around a corner, Haze just right on his heels. The hooded thief gained speed and quickly tugged on the teen's jacket tilting his head towards the mansard. 'And don't stop.' He mouthed at which the boy offered a hesitant nod.
The way up passed in blurs of colors for Phantom. Never before had he or his brother been caught so easily, however, he had to remind himself this was the city, the real deal. Things were ten times more dangerous than in the villages or towns they formerly raided.
He was outside before he knew it and he had no idea what to do next. Haze bumped into him pushing him to keep on running. "I said don't stop." He spoke annoyed.
The teen cringed and followed his brother as he dragged him towards the edge. Guards and officers stepped on the roof after them and the curiosity got the better of him. He looked back and that was all it took.
BANG
"JACK!" Kimiko's screech became the signal for all hell to break loose.
Phantom, now out of reviving that fateful moment of his life, rushed to his best friend's side. Kimiko elbowed Chase in the side, yet instead of letting go, the man tightened his grip digging his arm furthermore in her throat. A battle cry from behind grabbed his attention thought, and he was rewarded with a manicured fist in his face. A hand shot up and stole the gun out of his grasp while he was distracted and Kimiko took the time to get out of her hold and regard her saviors.
"Guys!" She screamed taken aback.
"What do you think you're doing?" Growled Chase wiping the blood trailing down his chin.
Omi quickly dismembered the gun letting it fall to the ground in pieces. His calm expression was highlighted by Keiko's furious scowl who was currently flexing her wrists and getting ready for a next hit.
"What we're doing?" She yelled. "What are you doing? What the hell was that all about?"
Omi frowned and turned to look at Kimiko. "Go." He said quietly.
Kimiko opened and closed her mouth for several seconds before managing a nod and running off to the writhing Jack. Phantom was struggling to control the blood flow by pressing his jacket on the wound. The bullet passed right below his right collar bone and exited through his back and if it weren't for her training and her experience regarding such things she would have fell nauseous right then and there.
Watching the panicking brunet beside her she sighed. "Move over." She ordered.
She took the cloth from his hands but didn't move it from the injury. She pressed hard on it with a hand, ignoring the red head's pained moans, while the other one traveled below his armpit pressing a pressure point that would help ease the blood flow.
"Phantom – "
"Is he going to be okay?" The thief yelled suddenly causing the woman to nearly jump out of her skin. "What the hell am I talking about, of course not...We have to call an ambulance – "
"He will be just fine…calm down already…" She reassured him gently. "Can you find something we can wrap around the wound?"
Phantom looked around, attempting to tune out Jack's whimpers and curses with no apparent luck if the way his hands were shaking and his rapid breathing said anything.
"Just use my shirt, god dammit!" The hurt boy managed to snap through grounded teeth before letting loose a string of moaned cusses.
"Right!" The two agreed right away.
-.-
Meanwhile, Keiko held herself from leaping at Chase at the same time as Omi left to check up on Clay. The raven haired man stood up from his crouch and fixed his golden eyes on the younger woman, every move bearing a grace and superior tinge that simply made Keiko's nerves spiral out of control.
"I may not know what is going on, but I know randomly shooting a bystander is something we do not do, ever." She scowled darkly.
"He wasn't just a bystander; he is Phantom's accomplice…" He replied dangerously. "Along with Kimiko."
Keiko didn't skip a beat as she snapped back. "Did you even listen to her side of the story?"
"Her actions spoke volumes of it."
The woman tensed, feeling her anger subdue but her sense of peril increase dramatically. "What happened to Clay then?"
Chase shrugged. "By helping Kimiko he became an accomplice himself."
"So if I choose to trust my best friend you will attack me too?"
"Indeed."
She sighed. "It'll be your word against ours then."
Chase's eyes widened and he dropped down, Omi's flying kick passing a hair's breadth away from his scalp. He frowned when the short boy turned around with several fast jabs. In spite of his tiredness, Chase managed to weave around them and recovered with a high sweep. Omi flipped over it and sent a kick of his own which the man grabbed and twisted sending him to the ground.
Omi succeeded in falling in a roll and shot up with twice his previous speed. He let a smile creep on his face as he began landing hit after hit, ending his assail with a punch in the chest that left the raven haired man wheezing. He then turned in a roundhouse kick and caught Chase in the head knocking him to the ground. Seeing he wasn't out yet, Omi quickly descended with an axe kick that grazed his temple and bashed his head on the concrete, rendering him motionless.
"I was lucky he was already weary." He whispered with a bit of guilt lacing his words.
Keiko came from behind and placed a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "You did good pipsqueak."
"Yes, I could have hurt him even move otherwise."
The woman sweat dropped hearing that. She shook her head getting over it quickly. "At least everything is over now."
"It's not." She frowned when her partner's eyes darkened as they settled on something behind her. She heaved a sigh, knowing what it was he meant.
"I'll go get the car."
-.-
After standing several minutes of one red head's whining while moving him in the car as well as a long explanation of what has taken place to Clay and reassurances of an upcoming explanation on Kimiko's part, the group was speeding through Tokyo as Phantom directed. He wasn't going to risk going to his own apartment so they were heading out of the city and to his and Jack's house.
The journey was spent mostly in silence with Kimiko and Keiko occasionally checking on Jack who started to develop a fever and was seconds away from passing out all the while the thief used every ounce of patience to not blow up into a rant and call the hospital. He managed to relax only slightly knowing his best friend was on good hands – well, Kimiko's hands because he wasn't sure about the others – but the sudden reminding of how his own stubbornness and recklessness brought him to make the same mistake stirred his old remorseful feelings and apprehension.
His brother got injured and eventually died because he didn't listen when he had to. He couldn't fathom the thought of something happening to Jack because of his same slip. The red head – along with his more tech-obsessive, doubtful and paranoid side – was his only friend ever since he lost his brother. Regardless of meeting him out of pure coincidence they stuck right away; a lone thief generally relying on raw skill and dumb luck and an underrated computer geek with nothing better to do.
It was fate.
He only hoped fate would still wish to keep them together.